Dish drainer



Dec. 16, 1958 H. J.. WATRAL 2,864,509

DISH DRAINER Filed March 25, 1955 United States Patent DISH DRAINER Henry J. Watral, Ramsey, N. J. Application March 23, 1955, Serial No. 496,238

7 Claims. 01. 211-41 My invention relates to wire basket support racks for draining dishes and is directed more particularly to such a drainer having means for individually supporting cups and glasses in inverted position.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a dish drainer of the character described which incorporates side hook elements for glasses, cups and the like utensils integral with and forming a continuous part of one or more cross-wires of the basket-like structure.

Another object is to provide a dish drainer structure of the character described wherein the side hook ele ments are loop-shaped and in a plane outward of, and substantially parallel with the side of the drain rack.

Another object is to provide a dish drainer of the above nature, wherein portions of the side hook elements are substantially level with the similarly extending wire cross members.

Another object is to provide a dish drainer of the character described having no free wire ends whereby danger of catching or snagging or possibility of injuring the hands is minimized.

Another object is to provide a dish drainer of the above nature, of simple, strong and economical construction, by means of a novel design wherein the side hook elements are combined in unitary integral structure with longitudinal members of the wire basket.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention are inherent in the structure as disclosed and claimed herein, or will be apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top view of one form of a wire dish drainer embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the drainer shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of drainer shown in Figs. 1 and 2, illustrated with a glass in draining position on one of the side hooks;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, shown with a glass in place;

Fig. 6 is a side view of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a preferred embodiment of a dish drainer in accordance with the present invention and comprising a generally rectangular top frame member 12 having parallel side portions 14 and parallel end portions 16. The side portions 14 of the frame member 12 are interconnected by a plurality of transverse spaced wire members 18 having opposed, upwardly-extending side portions 20 and 22 and aligned intermediate upwardly-bent inclined portions 24, defining slots for receiving and holding plates and the like articles in draining position. A plurality of longitudinal spaced wire members 26 interconnect the end portions 16 of the frame member 14, said longitudinal members comprising opposed upwardly-extending end portions 28 and 30. The central portions of the longitudinal members 26 cross under the central portions of the transverse wire members 18 and are fixed thereto at the points of crossing as by welding or soldering.

The improved dish drainer also comprises, as part of the longitudinal supporting structure, a pair of outer members 32 of bent wire interconnecting the end portions 16 of the frame member 14, said outer members having upwardly bent end portions 34, intermediate longitudinal portions 36 extending underneath the transverse wire members 18 and fixed thereto at points of crossing, and sidewardly and upwardly-extending loop portions 38. The loop portions 38 are generally of L-shape and are bent downwardly and outwardly at their inner ends where they extend into the intermediate portions 36, as best seen in Fig. 5, and indicated by 40. The upstanding portions of the loop portions 38 are spaced outwardly and parallel with respect to the plane of their respective side portions 20, 22 of the transverse wire members 18, to form together therewith slots-of substantially uniform width into which the edge portion of an inverted tumbler T can be placed for holding it in draining position as can be seen in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Four short leg wires of increased diameter 42, extend downwardly from two of the transverse wire members 18 to form legs near each corner of the drainer structure. The wire structure of the improved dish drainer is preferaby dip-coated with vinyl plastic material to form a smooth, resilientcoatin-g thereon of any desired color to render it noiseless and long-wearing in use and attractive in appearance. It will be noted that not only do the outer members incorporate the loop portions 38, but they also serve as longitudinal support and filler members for the basket-like drainer stmcture. By virtue of the doublebent portions 40 as indicated in Fig. 5, the horizontally extending parts of the loop portions 38 are at a level with the transverse wire members 18. It is also to be noted that cups or glasses can be slipped over the loop portions 38 and into the side slots without the necessity for bending out the loop at a greater angle, which would decrease the long small angle slot opening desired.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a modified form of the invention otherwise the same as described above in connection with Figs. 1 through 5, but having instead of outer longitudinal members 32 a bent wire loop member 44 which is fixed against each of the side portions 20, 22 of the transverse wire members 18. Each loop member 44 (only one shown) has a plurality of upwardly and outwardly inclined loop portions 46 forming wedge-like slots between adjacent pairs of the wire members 18 as can best be seen in Fig. 7. A tumbler T can readily be slipped into the narrow wedges thus formed, the upper portion of the glass resting against the upper frame 14 as illustrated in Fig. 7.

While I have disclosed herein two forms in which the invention may be embodied in practice, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention contains all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is.

l. A dish drainer comprising an upper, substantially rectangular wire frame having a pair of opposed side portions and a pair of opposed end portions, a plurality of 3 spaced, parallel, substantially U-shaped transverse members having ends interconnecting the side portions of said frame and a plurality of spaced, parallel, substantially U-shaped longitudinal members having ends interconnecting the end portions of said frame, said transverse mem-.

bers and said longitudinal members. forming a basket-like structure, and a combination longitudinal and hook mem ber comprising a single piece of wire secured. cross-wise against said transverse members and having a plurality of upwardly extending integral, intermediate loop portions outwardly displaced from the side of said basket-like structure, the securement of said hook member to said transverse members being at opposite sides of each loop portion.

2. A basket-like wire dish drainer comprising a top wire frame and parallel crossing rows of wires forming a. drainer bottom and drainer sides interconnecting the bottom with the frame, and a single piece of wire having spaced longitudinal portions interconnected by upwardly extending intermediate looped hook portions and crossing one set of parallel rows of wires and connected thereto at opposite sides of each looped portion, said looped hook portions being located in outwardly spaced relation from a side of the basket and extending upwardly therefrom and having their upper ends below said frame.

3. A dish drainer comprising an upper wire frame member having a pair of opposed side portions and a pair of opposed end portions, a plurality of spaced parallel transverse wire members each having a bottom portion and upstanding side portions the upper ends of which are fixed to the opposed side portions of said frame, a plurality of spaced parallel longitudinal wire members each having a bottom portion and upstanding end portions the upper ends of which are fixed to the opposed end portions of said frame, the bottom portions of said transverse and longitudinal members crossing each other and being fixed at cross points, and an additional longitudinal member having a bottom portion and upstanding end portions the upper ends of which are fixed to the opposed end portions of said frame and the bottom portion of said additional longitudinal member being fixed to the bottom portions of said transverse members at'points of crossing, said additional member comprising a single piece of wire and having intermediate, integral loop portions extending upwardly from the plane of the bottom portions of said longitudinal and transverse members and at the outer sides of the upstanding side portions of said transverse members and located between adjacent pairs of said upstanding portions of said transverse members.

4. The combination of claim 3, said additional memher being located inwardly of the upstanding side portions of said transverse members, and said loop portions being partially in the plane of the bottom portions of said transverse members.

5. The combination of claim 3, the upper ends of said loop portions being located below the plane of said frame member.

6. A basket-like member of wire construction having an upper rim frame and having crossing bottom Wire portions forming a bottom of said basket-like member and upstanding portions extending from the bottom portions and fixed to the frame and forming sides and ends of said basket-like member, and a wire member having coaxial portions parallel to certain of said bottom portions and transverse to other of said bottom portions and fixed to the latter, and said coaxial portions being interconnected by integral, intermediate loop portions disposed outside of certain of said upstanding portions and between adjacent pairs of such upstanding portions.

7. The combination of claim 6, the upper ends of the loops terminating below the rim, and said wire member being located inwardly of an outer side of said basketlike member, and said loops being L-shaped and flexible about the axis of said wire member and having portions located in the plane of the bottom portion of said basketlike member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENT 5 2,697,525 Breneman Dec. 21, 1954 2,708,037 Planeta May 10, 1955 2,739,715 Planeta Mar. 27, 1956 

